As the NHL world continues to speculate on the upcoming season, the AHL is left to both fill a roster quickly and still play a full season of hockey. The Oklahoma City Barons, as I publish this post, have yet to announce any roster moves either from the ECHL or free agent signings. There is no worry on this front, as the team will eventually have to make moves to play decent hockey in the immediate future.

In the meantime, NHL teams begin to create a list of players officially invited to their pre-season camps. The likelihood that this list is announced prior to Wednesday, when the new CBA deal is officially voted upon, is slim to none. All teams keeping things close to their vest as the lockout finally comes to an end.

Today, on Oilers Now, Edmonton Oilers GM Steve Tambellini, had the following to say about training camp invitees:

“We are looking at having 5 lines, 8 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders”

That gives us a number of 25. Reading between the lines a bit, it’s hard not to wonder if those two goaltenders are Dubnyk and Khabibulin or Dubnyk and Danis. But the fact that he mentioned two has me on the side of the former. This places Yann Danis in Oklahoma City as the Oilers 3rd tender.

In that same interview, Tambellini subtly hinted that others might be considered. Obviously some of those will come from Oklahoma City.

In that same interview, the Oilers GM made mention of at least three players heading from Stockton to Oklahoma City .

“We are looking at supplementing the team (in Oklahoma City). Cornet, Rajala, and Martindale will be in OKC. We’ll also explore the state of our current PTO defensemen, as well as looking into signing strong AHL free agents.”

A guy like Nathan Deck, could really benefit from a full fledged contract, and certainly has earned it.

More to come. Stay plugged in to TendTheFarm.com for more Barons news and commentary.

Written By - Neal Livingston

Born in the great state of Ohio, now nestled in the middle America we call Oklahoma, Neal is the head writer & chief farmhand at Tend The Farm -- a website dedicated to covering the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League.